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Turkish university deans warn lifting ban on Islamic head scarf would threaten secularism |
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Written by International Herald Tribune
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Saturday, 02 February 2008 |
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Dozens of university deans on Friday warned the Islamic-rooted government and a conservative opposition party against lifting a decades-old ban on Islamic head scarves in universities, saying it would pose a serious threat to the country's secular traditions.
Deans of several state and private universities gathered in Ankara as a parliamentary commission began debating the proposed measure days after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party struck a deal with the Nationalist Action Party to allow women wearing head scarves on campuses.
Lawmakers from the secular Republican People's Party opposed the measure in the commission meeting, but they lack seats to prevent the measure from being approved on the floor. A vote could come as early as next week.
"Turkey is secular and will remain secular," shouted some deans at the end of their meeting.
Thousands of secularists are expected to march in Ankara against the measure on Saturday.
"We are warning those who support this measure and those who remain silent that it would erode the gains of the republic and the secular order will come to an end," said Mustafa Akaydin, head of a council that serves as a bridge between universities. "It would inevitably transform the Turkish republic into a religious state."
The government says the measure is aimed at ensuring liberties at universities and that it intends to uphold secular principles enshrined in the constitution.
The government-appointed new higher education chief, Yusuf Ziya Ozcan, supports an end to the head scarf ban. He warned the deans at the beginning of the council meeting that they were overstepping their responsibilities.
But Akaydin said protecting secularism was their main responsibility and that they feared that freedom to wear a head scarf would not be limited to universities alone. Secularists fear it could be expanded to primary and secondary education as well as state offices.
Turkey's debate over wearing headscarves grew out of tension between the Islamic-oriented government and the military-backed, secular establishment, which faced off in a struggle for political power last year. The conflict ebbed after the government scored a resounding victory in general elections and its presidential candidate, Abdullah Gul, won election on his second attempt. |
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